NHTSA Complaint #10111914 — 2001 FORD F-150

MY 2001 FORD SVT F-150 LIGHTNING BLEW A SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD OF THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING TO THIS HAPPENING. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE VEHICLE WAS UNDRIVABLE AND I WAS FORCED TO HAVE IT TOWED. FORD TOWING WAS UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY SO I WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR THE TOW OUT OF MY POCKET. THE FIRST DEALERSHIP I WENT TO SAID THEY WOULDN'T FIX THE TRUCK UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND DEALERSHIP THAT IT WENT TO WAS ABLE TO COVER THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. THIS ENTIRE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHY I WAS ON VACATION. I AM A SOLDIER RETURNING FROM IRAQ AND I WAS FORCED TO SPEND A WEEK IN A HOTEL ROOM WHY THEY WAITED ON PARTS TO FIX MY VEHICLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED I WAS SENT ON MY WAY AND TWO HOURS LATER THE VEHICLE HAD MORE PROBLEMS. SEVERAL OTHER SMALL COMPONENTS WERE ALSO DAMAGED AND I WAS FORCED TO STOP AGAIN. THIS WAS ALSO COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS UNHEARD OF, BUT AS IT TURNS OUT IS VERY COMMON TO THE FORD TRITON V-8 ENGINES. I AM ONE OF THOUSANDS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO AND I FEEL FORTUNATE THAT I WASN'T LEFT STRANDED IN AN UNSAFE AREA.